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This article describes the MSB8036 error code.
Message text
MSB8036: The Windows SDK *version* was not found.
Description
This error occurs when Visual Studio or MSBuild can't find the Windows SDK requested by your project in the expected location.
Resolution
The following sections describe options for resolving the MSB8036 error based on your configuration.
Specify Windows SDK version for project in Visual Studio
If you build your project in Visual Studio, confirm the project targets the correct version of the Windows SDK:
In Solution Explorer, right-click the project node, and select Properties (Alt+Enter).
In the Property Pages dialog for your project, select the Configuration Properties > General property page.
Check the value for the Windows SDK Version property.
The dropdown list of values shows the specific versions detected by Visual Studio. The value 10.0 (latest installed version) instructs Visual Studio to always use the most recent SDK version, if multiple versions are installed.
Use the dropdown list to select the SDK version your project requires.
Select OK to save your changes.
Use MSBuild directly without Visual Studio
If you use MSBuild directly without Visual Studio, check any place where the WindowsTargetPlatformVersion property might be set. The property is often set in the project file, but it might also be defined in an imported file or in a global settings file like Directory.build.props. The .props file can be located anywhere in the parent path to your project, up to the root of the drive. The following XML shows the default setting in a newly created project file:
<WindowsTargetPlatformVersion>10.0</WindowsTargetPlatformVersion>
Also, check build scripts or CI jobs that invoke MSBuild. Make sure the command line isn't passing an invalid value for this property.
Install or reinstall the Windows SDK
If the previous options don't resolve the issue, install or reinstall the Windows SDK version your project needs.
You can install specific versions of the Windows SDK in the Visual Studio Installer by selecting the version in Individual Components. You can also download the Windows SDK from the Windows Dev Center.
For more information, see Use the Windows 10 SDK in a Windows Desktop application.
Applies to
All versions of MSBuild